1998 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX Complaints

THERE'S RECALL 99V348000 ON 1997 PONTIAC, GRAND PRIX FOR WINDSHIELD WIPERS, BUT NOT FOR 1998. CONSUMER STATED THAT WHEN TURNING OFF WINDSHIELD WIPERS THEY SUPPOSE TO PARK AND STAY DOWN, BUT INSTEAD THEY COME BACK UP, AND EDHALF, BLOCKING DRIVER'S VISION. *AK

THE HEADLIGHTS HAVE A BUILDUP OF CONDENSATION INSIDE THE LAMP WHICH REDUCES THE AMOUNT OF LIGHT PROJECTED BY THE LAMPS REFLECTORS, TOLD THAT THIS IS A STANDARD AND NORMAL CONDITION. NLM

PLASTIC HEADLAMP COVER KEEPS FALLING OFF,THERE IS A WAITING LIST FOR THE PART THROUGH JUNK YARDS AND BODY SHOPS. *AK THE COVER FELL OFF WHILE IN TRAFFIC CAUSING A FLAT TIRE, VEHICLE BEGAN TO SPIN AND ENDED UP IN A DITCH, FRONT BUMPER AND TIRE HAD TO BE REPLACED. *SLC

LIKE DRIVING AN ARMY TANK CONSUMER CAN'T STEER. ONCE WHILE TRAVELING WITH CHILDREN, CONSUMER TURNED STEERING WHEEL, AND IT WOULD NOT TURN BACK. IF ON A HIGHWAY, SOMEONE COULD HAVE BEEN HURT. *AK CONSUMER BELIEVES THERE WERE QUITE MANY VEHICLES OF THIS MODEL EXPERIENCING STEERING PROBLEM. *YH

DRIVERSIDE HEADLAMP COVER FELL OFF ON 2/1/01. CONTACT OF MOISTURE WITH BULB CAUSED BULB FAIL. HEADLAMP COVER WAS NOT RECOVERED. PASS HEADLAMP COVER FELL OFF ON 2/23/01 WITH SAME RESULT. PART WAS RECOVERED. GLUE WHICH HOLDS COVER ON HEADLAMP ASSEMBLY OBVIOUSLY FAILED. DEALER SAID BOTH ASSEMBLIES NEED REPLACEMENT @260/EACH + BULBS + LABOR. I BELIEVE MY ASSEMBLIES WERE DEFECTIVE AS MANY IDENTICAL COMPLAINTS HAVE FILED WITH YOUR ORGANIZATION AS WELL AS OTHER CONSUMER ORGANIZATIONS. COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN FILED REGUARDING THIS PROBLEM AS EARLY AS 1998. WILL THERE BE A RECALL OR DO PEOPLE NEED TO DIE FOR THAT TO HAPPEN??

A CHECK FOR TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAK, BOLTS LOOSE ON PAN TIGHTEN AND TOP OFF, PAN AND/OR GASKET TRANSAXLE OIL REPLACED. POPPING NOICE WHEN BRAKING NOW CRUNCHING NOISE. BRAKE PEDAL BUSHING NOISEY, BLOWER MOTOR NOISEY. R&R OR REPLACE PEDAL AND/OR BUSHING, BRAKE, MOTOR AND/OR FAN. VEHICLE WILL NOT START AND BATTERY IS LEAKING, DUE TO CRACKING, REPLACE. PASS HEADLAMP FILLS WITH WATER, IMPROPERLY SEALED.

IN MAY OF 2000 MAY AIR BAG LIGHT ON MY DASH BOARD INDICATED A PROBLEM BY STAYING ILLUMINATED. FIERER PONTIAC, HAMILTON, OHIO REPAIRED A "CONNECTOR" WHICH COST $498.50. IN FEBRUARY 01 I NOTICED THE AIR BAG LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED AGAIN. SINCE I HAVEN'T BEEN DRIVING THE CAR I ASKED MY WIFE HOW LONG THE LIGHT HAD BEEN ON. SHE SAID THAT IT HAD BEEN ON FOR AS LONG AS SHE COULD REMEMBER (AT LEAST 6 MONTHS) AND SHE THOUGHT THAT IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE ILLUMINATED. I TOOK THE CAR (98 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX SE) BACK TO THE SAME DEALERSHIP AND NOW THEY WANT TO CHARGE ME ANOTHER $420.00 TO FIX IT AGAIN. THIS TIME THEY SAY IT'S A BAD MODULE. I HAVE A REAL PROBLEM PAYING ALMOST $1000 TO KEEP THIS SAFETY EQUIPMENT OPERATING WHEN IT HAS NEVER BEEN USED (DEPLOYED). I AM OF THE BELIEF THAT SAFETY EQUIPMENT IS SUPPOSED TO BE VERY RELIABLE BECAUSE IT IS IN FACT "SAFETY EQUIPMENT". IF GENERAL MOTORS SAID THAT SEAT BELTS HAD TO BE REPLACED EVERY 75,000 MILES FOR $1000, PEOPLE WOULD BE UP IN ARMS AND THE GOVERNMENT WOULD MAKE GM DESIGN THE "SAFETY ITEM" TO LAST LONGER AND BE MORE RELIABLE. DOESN'T THE SAME THING APPLY HERE? PLEASE REPLY ASAP SINCE THIS CAR IS DISSEMBLED IN THE PONTIAC SHOP. I HAVE CONTACTED THE PONTIAC CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE DEPARTMENT AND SPOKE TO NANCY PERRY @ 1-800-762-2737. I HAVEN'T RECEIVED ANY SATISFACTION YET. CAN YOU PLEASE TELL ME WHAT TO SAY TO GET PONTIAC TO FIX THIS AIR BAG SYSTEM AT NO ADDITIONAL CHARGE (OTHER THAN THE $500 I HAVE SPENT ALREADY)? PLEASE PHONE ME AT 513-896-6169 OR EMAIL ME AT [email protected] (FRIDAY MORNING). PONTIAC IS ALSO PLANNING TO CHARGE ME FOR THE DIAGNOSIS. PLEASE HELP OR LET ME KNOW WHO TO CONTACT WHO CAN. THANK YOU ! , KEVIN M WEST. *AK

THE BOLTS ON THE OIL PAN WERE LOOSE CAUSING TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAK, THE SEAL WAS ALSO LOOSE CAUSING LEAK. NLM

BOTH HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES HAVE CONDENSATION AND FOGGING INSIDE. LOOKS LIKE SEAL FAILURE. PROBABLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE LENS FALLS OFF OF BOTH ASSEMBLIES. SAFETY ISSUE. *AK

PONTIAC GRAND PRIX'S AND BUICK REGALS HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE HEADLAMP CAPSULES FALLING APART AND MOISTURE GETTING INSIDE AND CONDENSING ON THE INSIDE OF THE FRONT COVER. I KNOW OF SEVERAL OWNERS AFFECTED, IN FACT AT THE TIME OF THIS SUBMISSION THE LIST WAS UP TO 45 PEOPLE LONG FROM JUST THE CLUB GRAND PRIX MESSAGE BOARD. SINCE THIS LIST HAS CONTINUED TO GROW SINCE I ASKED FOR THOSE WITH THIS PROBLEM, YOU CAN CHECK OUT AN UPDATED LIST AT: HTTP://NEWFORUM.CLUBGP.COM/UBB/CLUBGP/FORUM1/HTML/010969.HTML. GM/PONTIAC HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND HAVE EVEN CHANGED THE DESIGN/SEALANT ON THE NEW HEADLIGHT TO PREVENT THIS FROM OCCURRING. YET, THEY REFUSE TO ISSUE A RECALL AND FIX THE POTENTIAL PROBLEM ON THE MAJORITY OF THE CARS OUT THERE. MY MAIN CONCERN IS THAT I DO NOT WANT TO HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THE FRONT PART OF MY HEADLAMP FALLING OFF AND THE BULB GETTING SHATTERED BY DEBRIS AND ROCKS ON THE ROADS OR HIGHWAYS. I WOULD LIKE TO THINK THAT YOU WOULD CONSIDER THIS A SAFETY HAZARD, ESPECIALLY SINCE GM HAS ADDED DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS ON ALMOST, IF NOT ALL, OF THEIR NEW VEHICLES. IF THOSE RUNNING LIGHTS ARE SO MUCH OF A SAFETY FEATURE THAN DO NOT YOU THINK THAT HEADLIGHTS AT NIGHT WOULD BE AN EVEN BETTER, MORE IMPORTANT SAFETY FEATURE. WITH THE MOISTURE IN THE HEADLIGHTS, THE LIGHT IS NOT PROJECTED AS FAR, THUS CUTTING DOWN ON THE VISIBILITY AT NIGHT. I FIND THIS DANGEROUS AND THINK THAT SOMETHING SHOULD BE DONE ABOUT THIS. THANK YOU! CRAIG OLAH. *AK